Small, lightweight and producing a surprisingly consistent grind; I recommend the hario skerton to anyone looking for a great grinder within the limits of a tight budget.
Positive Product Points
Most consistent hand grinder i know of.
Negative Product Points
Changing the grind is a bit of a chore.
Detailed Commentary
With conical ceramic burrs and an "accidental tweak" proof nut for grind changing, this is the most consistent hand grinder I know of. Ideal for drip coffee or (my personal favorite) the siphon pot; changing the grind does however require unscrewing the handle from the armature, making it somewhat inconvenient for grind-sensitive jobs such as espresso. However, for the coffee geek who doesn't mind a bit of work, this is (to the best of my knowledge) the best grinder you can get for the price value. After a bit of messing around to set the grind for espresso, I would rate this higher than my Mazzer Luigi as far as consistency of particle size (which also means less clumping) thanks to the conical burrs and virtually no "wiggle" of the armature. (Consistency does get worse however, if the grind is a on a more coarse setting). Interestingly, the Hario Skerton does not come equipped with a cover for the bean hopper which can (if you grind like me) lead to a few spills. There are however, several creative ideas online for making your own. Last but not least, this small grinder can take quite a beating for having glass parts. The hopper is made of flexible plastic and although the grind reservoir is glass, it is built very thick. I have dropped this grinder on ceramic tile on more than one occasion with no damage done.
Buying Experience
Purchased from amazon, the price for this thing is great. $36.00 is cheap even for a steel-burred hand grinder, let alone a ceramic one.
